[Darield]

Originally Posted by La lamy

Years ago up north, they started charging 5 cents per plastic bag which led a lot of people to reuse. Now most grocery stores don't even offer plastic bags. You bring your own, or pay for a sturdy reusable bag.
As far as garbage is concerned, I agree, plastic bags are necessary. But I strongly disagree with the grocery size plastic bags being used for single use dog waste. What a waste!!! Even the smaller grocery veggie bags or buying dog waste bags seems a lot more reasonable IMHO.

I agree. We use biodegradable dog bags which are 1/3 the size of a grocery bag.

[Darield]

Originally Posted by Pugchief

Less pollution is always preferrable to more. I am certain that smart humans or AI will devise a better alternative at some point. Until then, we're still going to need plastics even if they're less than ideal.

The goal is to reduce, not eliminate at this time. It is so easy to keep reusable bags in my car. I am sorry people don't wipe them out but I do. So easy to take an extra minute to clean a reusable bag.

[Darield]

Originally Posted by Whatnext

Have you tried picking up a squidgy dog poop with a paper bag?

I buy biodegradable dog poop bags.

[Darield]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

I prefer to let the incineration plant take care of my plastic bags. I just throw them in the trash. Easier for me and my plastic bags are creating energy.

it's crucial to understand why incinerating plastic is not just ill-advised—it's a potential catastrophe waiting to unfold. The Toxic Truth: Why Burning Plastic Waste Is a Health and Environmental Disaster | Plastics For Change.

[Velvet]

Another story to try to scare you, you understand that it doesn’t work on most of us? Some of it is true. And that part I agree with. The problem is the fanaticism that comes across, akin to Stalinist Communism. It just turns off a lot of people. The more you try to explain, and enforce, the more they turn away. A possibly better approach might be to reward “good” behavior. Not sure exactly how yet, but I’m thinking.

[Djean1981]

Your smartphone is mainly plastic...

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Velvet

My hubby was (has passed away now) a very dedicated environmentalist. Sometimes, in his honor, I still do a lot of stuff I wouldn’t do because I don’t think it is justified but I know he would ….

Sorry for your loss.
A dedicated environmentalist would put my poor efforts to shame. I always try to consider the long term effects of my choices. For example, I drive a 2015 Tucson (purchased new), limit my travel to little more than absolute necessity, and combine multiple trips whenever possible. My carbon "tiretrack", is less than if I replaced it with a new ev, considering the costs, both financial and environmental. I pull weeds in my yard, I don't poison them or the ground. I have no living children, so it isn't about leaving a better planet for my kids. It's ethics, I guess. Trying to do the right thing as I believe it to be. Do as little harm as possible while still enjoying the last few days. No one person can do it alone.

[Velvet]

Yes, but let me try another approach, no matter how good or kind, say Mother Theresa was, had she kept hitting people over the head with her rosary because they weren’t Catholic, she would have turned even the ones who were considering it, away.

I think, that showing by example, as you are doing, is one excellent way to “pave the path” so to speak.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Darield

I buy biodegradable dog poop bags.

"Biodegradable" is not what you think it is.

1. They don't break down easily in a natural environment.
2. When they do break down (eventually, after many years), they break down into microplastics - the very thing that people are now concerned about.
3. They are not 100% compostable. Only 20% of their makeup has to be compostable. That's why #1 and #2 are true; because 80% of the components that make up the bag will not compost.
4. They produce methane while they are in landfills.
5. They're made with polymerized plastic - which is plastic, which requires fossil fuels to make, exactly the same fossil fuels that normal plastic bags use.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Velvet

Another story to try to scare you, you understand that it doesn’t work on most of us? Some of it is true. And that part I agree with. The problem is the fanaticism that comes across, akin to Stalinist Communism. It just turns off a lot of people. The more you try to explain, and enforce, the more they turn away. A possibly better approach might be to reward “good” behavior. Not sure exactly how yet, but I’m thinking.

Designed to scare us? Of course! And we should be scared. Scared, as in concerned. Not scared as in mindless panic.
The "fanaticism", as you negatively portray it, is really just folks that recognize a problem that needs fixing and are ready to get to work on it. Those that refuse to recognize the problem or paint the problem as not of importance of requiring immediate action don't want to be bothered by the inconvenience to their lifestyle.
Maybe the reward for "good behavior" you mention could be leaving behind a cleaner, healthier world? Or, maybe you would rather have a cookie? (Just teasing. Please don't be angry)

PS. Just between us, I want the cleaner, healthier world AND a cookie ... chocolate chip.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

"Biodegradable" is not what you think it is.

1. They don't break down easily in a natural environment.
2. When they do break down (eventually, after many years), they break down into microplastics - the very thing that people are now concerned about.
3. They are not 100% compostable. Only 20% of their makeup has to be compostable. That's why #1 and #2 are true; because 80% of the components that make up the bag will not compost.
4. They produce methane while they are in landfills.
5. They're made with polymerized plastic - which is plastic, which requires fossil fuels to make, exactly the same fossil fuels that normal plastic bags use.

Plastic is forever!

[Pugchief]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

The "fanaticism", as you negatively portray it, is really just folks that recognize a problem that needs fixing and are ready to get to work on it.

No, that's not what it is. It's a religious fervor that wants the plebs to give up airline travel and air conditioning, while the elites fly on private jets and live in palaces with private security.

I am happy to recognize the benefit of good stewardship of the planet, and do what I can within reason. These fanatics are not reasonable.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by Pugchief

No, that's not what it is. It's a religious fervor that wants the plebs to give up airline travel and air conditioning, while the elites fly on private jets and live in palaces with private security.

I am happy to recognize the benefit of good stewardship of the planet, and do what I can within reason. These fanatics are not reasonable.

Guess we will have to agree to disagree. And I still maintain that what seems reasonable to one may seem unreasonable to another. Purely subjective, imho.

[villagernewbie]

Along the lines of recycling, I just watched a doc on Netflix last night called "Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy."

It's pretty shocking and for those who actually care what we leave our children and grandchildren, very sobering.

https://time.com/7198791/buy-now-net...-black-friday/

[Eg_cruz]

Originally Posted by Darield

Lately I have been getting feeds on my phone about foods and products to avoid to reduce our consumption of micro plastics. So this has obviously become a problem since we are even finding this nasty stuff in our livestock our soil and of course The Ocean. I decided to ask several stores how many plastic bags they go through a day and the common answer was between 4-7,000 A DAY! I then looked up approximately how may grocery stores are in Florida? Approximately 20,000. If I multiply 20,000 x 3,000 bags (a very conservative number). Just in Florida we are using approximately 60 million plastic bags a day!! We don't have the manpower to recycle this plastic (latest figures are between 5 and 6% gets recycled) so the majority ends up in landfills, the ocean or best yet, we burn it in huge trash facilities. Please use reusable grocery bags.
If this interests you, here are some links to read more;
5 Things You Need to Know About How Florida Banned Plastic Bags - Debris Free Oceans
plastic-bags/https://www.npr.org/2022/10/24/1131131088/recycling-plastic-is-practically-impossible-and-the-problem-is-getting-worsehttps://shunpoly.com/article/how-much-of-the-usas-plastic-is-recycled

I get your point
Now calculate how many plastic items go in those plastic bags a day and what happens to those plastic items.